Free Crochet Patterns & Crochet Resources Online

Hi, I'm Sheila - known in the internet realm as "SheilaSchnauzies." I earned that nickname in real life, for rescuing Miniature Schnauzer dogs. I'm passionate about four things in my life; my friends and family, the dogs I care for, my writing, and my crocheting. Well, there's also jewelry design... and gardening... and lots more. I am so excited about the opportunity to share the many facets of Crochet with all of you!

Here I am, out on a yarn shopping adventure, snapping a selfie to use in an article. Pretty typical!

In all the years I've been publishing my free crochet patterns at Squidoo and now at HubPages, and participating in various crochet forums. I have had the privilege of meeting a lot of crocheters! Many of us have several things in common.

** We love our "stash" of yarn;

**We love to collect patterns, especially free ones;

** We love to share the love of crocheting with others; and

** We love to look at the work of other crocheters.

Through all my articles on Crochet and free crochet patterns, I'll help you explore each of these "loves," as well as lots more! Whether you love crocheting for charity, making intricate doilies, crocheting gifts for your friends and family, or crocheting for cash, we will look into it in-depth together. Maybe you've always been fascinated by crochet and would like to pick up the craft. Come along!

Do you ever wonder how many other crocheters are "out there" crocheting around the world? I do! Wouldn't it be nice to meet and see all the people who crochet here at HubPages? If you write crochet lenses here at HubPages, wouldn't it be nice to get to know the others who do? And to get the word out about your hubs? It's all about networking. (Does anyone still use that term, or am I outdated, I wonder?) You click on my hubs, I click on yours... share them... and so on, and so on... that's how it works.

You can find my crochet patterns and my blogs at the links below. I also have a crochet group on Facebook called "Crochet WIth Sheila." You are so welcome to join! I have a crochet group on Yahoo with the same title as well. Same invitation is open to you there.

I look forward to meeting you so please leave your comment on my guest book below! Happy crocheting... -Sheila

Do You Prefer Working With Thread Or Yarn?

I started crocheting as a kid at age 11. My mom crocheted amazingly intricate doilies and worked only in thread, no yarn for her! I still remember the day she took me uptown to the TG&Y to allow me to pick out my first pattern, yarn and hook. It was 1969 and the pattern I chose was a "Hot Pants" outfit! I selected bright purple yarn. Looking back, it was a terrible pattern for a beginner! The hot pants never did get finished, although I did eventually finish the crocheted vest that went with them. In my yarn stash, I still have one tiny ball of that purple yarn. The pants would not be my last "UFO" (UnFinished Object!)

In my early twenties, I taught my best friend how to crochet. Back then I made afghans, placemats, and other rectangular objects. In my thirties, I became a little more adventurous and tried doing a few doily patterns. i felt that I'd arrived as a crocheter when I was able to make this 1955 Workbasket Rose Doily in honor of my mom after she passed away. She had crocheted this doily for each of her friends and family. I did the same for mine (one of them is pictured here).

In my late thirties, just after I'd finished crocheting a book of Josie Rabier doily patterns, it became difficult for my eyes to focus from pattern to work and back. As it turns out, it was the beginnings of double vision, caused by Myasthenia Gravis, a form of muscular dystrophy. After a few months of looking at my last dolly in progress sitting in a basket unworked, I'd had enough - I missed crocheting!

I just let go the reins and started crocheting on my own, learning to work around the double vision. I designed a bezillion things for myself and gifts for friends. Many of my early doilies were terrible and ended up in the scrap basket! But I kept working and learning. In yarn, I made lots of pillow covers, afghans, towels, whatever occurred to me. I was having fun! I felt so proud when I designed and completed my first thread tablecloth, my first dog sweater, my first sweater for myself. Lots and lots of firsts!

Around that same time, the Internet was coming into force and I started meeting other crocheters online. That was a totally new and very fun experience! I also started my Miniature Schnauzer rescue at that time as a way to help these beautiful creatures.

I finally started writing down the patterns I was creating. In 2006, I discovered Squidoo.com as a venue for publishing my crochet patterns and an obsession was born! What a fabulous place to write about anything I wanted and to share my crochet patterns. In 2014, I made the big move of all my patterns to HubPages.com.

I started dreaming, many years ago, of publishing a book of all of my crochet designs. I've finally started to realize that dream with the development of a series of e-books called "Crochet With Sheila." Volume 1, "Floral Ornaments To Crochet," was published in December 2013 on Amazon. I have at least 12 more volumes planned.